Don’t panic, stay invested: NSE’s Harish Ahuja advices retail investors amid global market volatility

Amid ongoing global market volatility linked to the US-Israel-Iran conflict, Harish K Ahuja, Head of Sustainability, Power & Carbon Markets, Listing & Social Stock Exchange at the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), has urged retail investors to remain patient and avoid panic selling.

Speaking to on recent market movements, Ahuja highlighted that the correction is not limited to India but is part of a broader global trend.

“Most of the exchanges across the globe are seeing a correction of 7 to 10 per cent. And this up and down is a part of the very market,” he said.

Addressing retail investors directly, Ahuja advised against reacting impulsively to volatility. “My suggestion to retail investors: don’t panic. Show the patience, you are an investor, not a trader,” he said.

He further noted that despite short-term fluctuations, India’s market fundamentals remain strong.

“My understanding of the Indian market, India is growing. Indian fundamentals in terms of GDP growth, inflation, most of the indicators, be it industrial growth, electricity consumption, are very positive,” Ahuja stated.
Emphasising the scale and resilience of Indian markets, he added, “India has witnessed the largest number of IPOs in the world. We are one of the largest exchanges in terms of the number of unique investors and unique accounts.”He also underlined the importance of long-term investing. “Investment means, for me, the definition of investment is once you buy a stock, at least for the next five to ten years, don’t watch the stock daily,” he said.

Ahuja further said that patience is key to benefiting from market growth.

“I think I am always positive about the market because I am a patient investor. Once you have patience, once you understand the fundamentals of the economy and the country as a whole, you should not panic.”

According to him, disciplined and long-term investors are likely to be rewarded despite short-term geopolitical uncertainties.